Your top 10 names for the tenth planet (original) (raw)

On 30 July, the world learned of a new addition to our solar system – a tenth planet. The distant body will receive a name, most probably the as-yet-undisclosed suggestion made by its discoverer, Mike Brown. But wanting to know your opinion, and having provided a few guidelines, we have been overwhelmed by the response.

The top 10 names you suggested, along with the reasons, are below. And we have added a few more of the smartest or most amusing ideas. Thanks for taking part.

1. Persephone (Greek) or Proserpina (Roman)

Many considered this the obvious favourite for naming the new planet, since Roman mythology has it that Pluto (or Hades, in Greek mythology) kidnapped Persephone, and made her his wife. So distraught was Persephone’s mother that her grief created winter. Very apt, since planets do not, as yet, get any colder than our most distant new addition. The only, but significant, problem with this name is that is already taken. As Brown himself points out: “Sadly, the name was used in 1895 as a name for the 399th known asteroid.”

2. Peace (or its Latin root, Pax)

In a war-torn world, and with terrorism rife, many of you want to use the new planet to send a message. Patricia Schiavone, of Montevideo, Uruguay summed it up: “I’d call it Pax because we all feel peace to be very far away, yet it reflects what most people were wishing for when this new planet was discovered.”

3. Galileo

Often referred to as the “father of modern astronomy” and credited with construction of the first astronomical telescope, Galileo was the leading suggestion for naming the new planet after a real person. Guillermo Dotto in Buenos Aires, Argentina, summed up voters’ feelings: “I would name it after Galileo, the genius who provided the means to search outer space.”

Other votes for real people included Isaac Newton, Brahms, Isaac Asimov, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Carl Sagan, Euclid, Stephen Hawking, Mother Theresa, Copernicus, Aristotle and Arthur C Clarke.

4. Xena

Xena, after TV’s Warrior Princess, was the name Mike Brown and his team gave the planet upon first discovering it. He later said “that was our tongue-in-cheek internal name, never intended for public consumption”. Nevertheless, the mythical-sounding name caught your imagination. And, as Andrew Gregurich of Michigan, US, pointed out: “You could stick with Xena. She might not like it if you changed the name. HIYAH!”

5. Rupert

It might seem like an unlikely name for a planet, and it probably would be. But in the fourth book of the Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy “trilogy” – Mostly Harmless – author Douglas Adams describes a tenth planet around the Sun: “The planet was named Persephone, but rapidly nicknamed Rupert after some astronomer’s parrot – there was some tediously heart-warming story attached to this – and that was all very wonderful and lovely.”

6. Bob

This name tickled many a funny bone, it seems. Raffy E, in California, US, explains his reasons for choosing it: “It’s one word, easy to pronounce, inoffensive, and imagine the jokes that’ll come out of the scientific community for years after! Also, I think Uranus needs a break, don’t you?”

7. Titan

This was another popular choice, but again has already been taken, as those of you who have been reading our Cassini: Mission to Saturn special report already know. The report contains several stories of the Cassini mission’s discoveries on Titan – a giant moon around Saturn.

8. Nibiru

Nibiru, is the name ancient Babylonians gave to a heavenly body associated with their chief deity, Marduk. According to ancient Sumerian tablets, it also referred to a mysterious Planet X – at that time undiscovered. Some voters believe that the writings have now come true. Others, like Mario De Leo of Mexico City, Mexico, just like the idea of it: “It’s easy, short, nice sounding and has a big, big story behind it.”

9. Cerberus

Cerberus is the three-headed beast that guarded the gates of Hades (the Greek underworld). Alex Ijzerman, of the Netherlands, says: “In mythology Cerberus is the guard-dog of the Greek underworld. He’s the solar system’s guard dog, you could say. Beyond it lies undiscovered country into which we are unable to pass at this moment.”

10. Loki

This Norse god of mischief is described by Wikipedia as “a master of guile and deception – not so much a figure of unmitigated badness as a kind of celestial con man”. Many readers thought this persona suited the tenth planet very well. Vern, in Massachusetts, US, agrees wholeheartedly: “Loki has similar underworld associations as Pluto but in the Norse mythology. And, because this discovery has instigated such a difficult debate about what is or is not a planet, the name of a “trickster” who causes such trouble is right on the money.”

The power of 10

Many voters liked the idea of naming the planet based its tenth position in the heavens: Decimal, Dekatos, Planet X, Decanus, Decimus, X, Decadia, Deka, Deca and even Dekatoo.

Dishan Marikar, of Victoria, Australia, suggested the name Bolero, “as it was famously used in the soundtrack for the movie 10 with Bo Derek and Dudley Moore.

And we also had several votes for the name Maradona. Curiously, our Argentinean readers all seem to agree that footballer Diego Maradona is the best number 10 that ever lived.

And finally…

Some people chose to take an especially original approach to the challenge of suggesting the planet’s name. Here are our favourites:

Julian, from Brisbane, Australia, wrote: “I think the new planet should be called Namakakiweyho. Why? Because I think it’s a great sounding name, and it’s probably never been used for anything before!”

Jessika Scheuenstuhl, in California, US, wrote: “My planet name is Cananeesta. My father used to make up bedtime stories for me, and Cananeesta was his main character. She was a space traveller who loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

David Field, in Kingsbridge, UK, wrote: “My proposed name is Selsia. This was the name of an unforgettably pretty young lady from my adolescence, nearly 60 years ago.”

Colton Harris, in Illinois, US, provided our editor’s favourite response, when he wrote: “My suggestion for the new planet’s name is R2D2. I am a 6 year old boy, I want to be the first human being to walk on the planet Mars!”